of jackson



July s; 1927, 1,635,044

W. ILE

ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed May20, 1925 gl nuev; tot

Willian Patented July 5, 1927.

UNITED STATES 1,635,044 PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM ILE,` 0F JACKSON, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR T0 REYNOLDS SPRING COMPANY OF JACKSON, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

' Application ledliay 20,1925. Serial No.'31,649.

The invention relates to improvements inror space 5 for the reception ofthe switch electric switches.

The object of the present invention is to improve the construction of electric switches of the snap toggle type and to provide a simple, practical and eliicient electric switch of this character which will be strong and durable and which-will have a' quick make and break and be capable of positively maintaining itself in its on and oif position.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangement ofparts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings andrpointed out in the claim hereto appended, it being under stood that various changes in the form, proportion and minor details of construction, within the scope ofthe claim, ma ,be resorted to ywithout departing from t 1e `spirit orsacrifcing any of the advantages of the invention. y i

1 In the drawings: 1

Figure l `is` a side elevation of `a lamp base.

Fig. 7 is a horizontal sectional view on the line 7-7 of Figr2. Y

In the accompan ing drawingin which is illustrated the pre erred embodiment of the invention, the electric switch is shown applied' to a lamp socket equipped with a `metallic outer shell 1 of the ordinary con- -struction and havin aninsulating lining tube. The metallic `s ell or casing 1 consists of a body portion and a removable cap 3.

The outer shell is reduced at its interme-l diate portionto provide a shoulder or seat for supporting an insulating baseV 4 constructed of a single piece of suitable insulating material and molded Vin the formy shown and provided withv a central vertical reoessforming an intermediate compartment embedded in. the handle.

mechanism. The switch receivin space or compartment is formed by upwar ly extending substantially parallel walls and it is open at the top and ends as shown. The walls 6 areapproximately straight and are recessed at their inner and outer faces at 7 and 8 at opposite sides of the insulating base as clearly shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings to lighten the construction andV reduce the amount of insulating material and at the same time provide an enlarged intermediate switch receiving space and exterior recesses or spaces for the binding terminals 9. The insulating base is circular and fits the standard shells or outer casings and it is provided exteriorly of the walls adjacent the binding terminals 9 with lugs 10 recessed at 11 adjacent the binding terminals for the double purpose of providing air spaces and for reducing the amount of insulating material. The lugs 10 extend upwardly from the bot- -tom circular portion of the"insulating:base

and terminate midway between the top and bottom of the spaced side walls.

The switch mechanism comprises in its construction an approximately U-shaped suopporting bracket 12 composed of spaced si es and a connecting horizontal bottom portion 13. The sides are provided inter mediate of the top and bottom of the bracket with -alined openings for the reception of 'a pivot pin 14 and have upper and lower relatively Vnarrow arms 15 and 16 extending outwardly from the sides in the planes of the same and then curved downwardly andl upwardly respectively, toward each other as clearly i lustrated in Fig. 5 of the drawings to form stops for an operating lever 17 and an .oscillatory switchmember 18. The operating lever consists oi ahandle portion 19 of molded or other suitable material and an approximately Ushaped body portion having spaced sides and a connecting transverse portion provided with a shank 20 which is The spaced sides yof the operating lever are provided with per- .forationsto receive the transverse pivot pin 14 and `they `contact with upper and lower inwardly extending lugs 21 of the upper and lower arms 15 and 16. The arms are also -provided with outwardly projecting laterally extending terminal lugs 22 located in the crotches formed by the arms and the .sides of the bracket `for limiting the swing-fr of the operating lever isV arranged between the sides ot the bracket l2 and the sides ot the switch member 1&5` arcgarfrangedexteriorly ot the sides of the supporting bracket and are provided at their vinner pivoted ends` with bearing recesses 25 approximately L- shaped, forming terminathools 26 which engage over laterally extending bearing lugs 2T preferably formed integral with the. sides of the supporting bracket by bending portions thereof laterally.v ily this construction themovable switch member may be readily .engaged withfand disengaged lrom `the supporting bracket.

The movable switchmember is maintained positively inV engagement Ywith the switch terminals 233 and 24 and also ont ot engagement with the same when in olf position by -a coiled spring 2S disposed on a rod 2.() which is secured at itsonter end 30 in.. an opening in the transverse portion or the movable switch member. The inner portion oi? the rod'extends through an opening 3.1. in a rocking plate A32 having laterally extending pivots or trunnions '3C-3 monnted in alined bearing Aopenings in the youter ends'oif the sides of the operating lever. The coiled spring thrusts against an enlargement or head at the outer end 30 ot the rod 29 and against the said rocking plate 32 and when the lever is operated by hand and is oscillated the spring is compressed on the rod until the parts reach avdead center and as soon as the rod is carried beyond the ydead center the spring will cause the switch memberto snap quickly and reverse-its position. It will be seen that the switch mechanism yforms a springactuated toggle and will produce a positive operationot the `parts as soon 4as the inner end or' the operating lever is ,carried beyond the said dead center.- A quick and elfective throw is thus-provided for actuating the oscillatory switch member.

The rod on whichthe spring ismounted is fixed to the transverse portion of the movable switch member and has no longitudinal Vvmovement relative to the said member which swingsr between the upper and lower laterally projecting stop lugs of the arms of the supporting bracket., The spring mainltains the hoo r shaped terminals of the sides of the switch member in engagement with the bearing .studs ot 'the supporting bracket and prevents any accidental disengagement ofthe said hook shaped terminals.

The stationary switch terminal 23 con sists of a flexible arm or portion oi a plate 34 of copper or other suitable conducting ,material secured tothe lower race. ott-he insulating base in a recess thereof by means or a screw 36 which also securesone of rthe binding terminals 9 to the base. Each of the binding terminals consists o an approximatelyl L-shaped plate ntted against Vthe adjacent lug 'l0 and having a binding screw. 3f? which cooperates withV a projecting portion 3S of the binding terminal to enable one end of a wire to be securely rastened to the binding terminal. The other statiOnary switch: terminal consistsfol a liexible arm or portion of an approximately L-shaped plate 3S) which is secured to the .lower facev of the insulating base in a recess 40 thereotby means of ,a hollow rivet 41 or other suitable fastening device which also secures the center contact 42 to the lower tace. oft the .insulating base.V The insulating base is provided with spaced slots43 through which the flexible arms o r portions of the stationary switch terminals extend soy as ,to lproject from the bottom portion of ,the

sides, the upper side beingsecnred to the,

insulating base by the said hollow rivet and the lowerl side being provided withA a cup shaped terminal portion 44 presenting a lower convex face for engaging with ancelectric lamp. A The; lower` contacting portion of the center contact may be readily bent up` wardly or downwardly .to arrange` itl in proper position for making a perfect contact.. The center contact extends through a `centra-l slot 45 of an insulating washer 46 which is-itted again'stthe lower facev Aof the insulating base and is interposed between the same and a flange 47 of a screw shellcontact 48. The shell contactand the washer arel secured to the insulating baseby means ot an attaching screw 49 and a screw 50 which secures one of the binding terminals to the insulating base.` The binding terminal to which the screw 50 isconnected is electrically connected `with the. shell contact and the other binding terminal is connected by means heretofore describedwith-the center contact 42. v v

What is claimed is:

.An electric switch including a, bracket having spaced vertical sides provided with upper and lower relativelynarrow armsv aryand. curved downwardly and upwardly respectively toward each other andv provided at their extremities with outwardly extending laterally projecting lugs and having at their bases inwardly extending laterally arranged to swing between and have their movement limited by the laterally projecting lugs at the bases of the arms, a` yoke pivotally mounted on theV sides ofthe bracket at the outer faces thereof and arran ed to swing between and have its upwar` downward movement limited by the outwardly extending laterally projecting 1u s, a rocking pla-te mounted between the si es of the operating lever, a pin mounted at its terminals on the yoke and the said plate, 80

and a coiled spring disposed on the pin and interposed between the yoke and the plate.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

i WILLIAM ILE.

and l5 

